Multicolored mist swirled through the air, peach blossoms adorned every branch in dense profusion, and light haze veiled the sky in a dreamy shroud. Morning dewdrops sparkled like crystals on the crimson petals. Above an endless peach blossom forest, within auspicious golden radiance, stood a man dressed in yellow robes embroidered with dragons soaring through auspicious clouds and eight treasures flowing with gold. His countenance was dignified and benevolent, his gaze serene and gentle as he quietly observed the peach grove. With a light flutter of his sleeve, he scattered golden light, and a small azure sprout slowly emerged from the ground, branching out, growing leaves, forming buds… until it became a small jasmine tree. However, such a jasmine growing in the heavenly peach garden violated the rules, and according to celestial law, it should be removed.

The jasmine tree swayed gently in the wind before gradually transforming into a charming little girl dressed in plain white, her gauze skirt adorned with jasmine blossoms. She opened her butterfly-like eyelashes, curiously gazing around the peach forest. After a brief pause, a pure and beautiful smile suddenly bloomed across her face. She lightly approached a peach blossom and inhaled, causing the dewdrop on the flower to transform into pale spiritual energy that was absorbed into her body. The little girl happily moved to another flower, and seeing a droplet much larger than usual, she joyfully absorbed it. But the moment it entered her body, she tasted its bitter sourness, followed immediately by a burning sensation throughout her body that forced her to curl up and collapse to the ground.

“Child…” The Heavenly Emperor moved, his sleeve gently brushing over her head, quickly alleviating the searing pain.

That wisp of a soul carefully raised her head and saw the Heavenly Emperor’s serene and peaceful expression. Blinking, she asked in a crisp voice, “Who are you?”

“Child, you have grown forbidden in the peach garden. According to celestial law, you should be removed, but I can save you.”

That wisp of a soul struggled to support herself, looking up at this extraordinarily noble man. Still not quite understanding, she asked, “You… what must I do?”

The Heavenly Emperor’s gaze fell lightly upon a peach blossom branch as he said, “You are my worry and compassion. Your existence represents my mortal heart that has not yet been extinguished. I need you to find that person, to witness a destruction, and be reborn from that destruction to become the existence that ends everything.”

“Who must I find? What will he do? Why must I end everything?”

“He will be the end of everything, but he will be your beginning.”

…

…

That wisp of soul born from the jasmine bud nodded with seeming understanding.

The Heavenly Emperor lightly raised his wrist, and after a faint golden light, a white jade brush fell into Jasmine’s palm. The jade brush was carved with half a peach blossom. The Heavenly Emperor spoke with a serene gaze: “This is made from ancient Linlang jade. It was originally a pair—half was made into this jade brush, the other half into an ornament for a sword. One literary, one martial; one kills, one stops. Take it with you, and it will help you find that person.”

The little soul carefully examined the jade brush. The almost transparent jade was carved with half a blooming peach blossom that was extraordinarily lifelike—even the fine veins on the crimson petals were visible. The jade was pure and bright without a single flaw, warming at her touch.

“What a beautiful jade brush…” As she lowered her head in amazement, a faint golden cloud descended onto her head before disappearing into her hair. “You have received my spiritual energy. I bestow upon you an exquisite heart that can know what ordinary people cannot know and endure what ordinary people cannot endure. I hope you will not disappoint my expectations.”

The little soul looked up at the Heavenly Emperor in surprise. Just as she was about to ask further questions, the ground beneath her feet suddenly gave way, and she fell heavily downward, dropping into a boundless golden space, sinking continuously…

Year 36,714 of the Heavenly Calendar, Fengjian Clan, Dajing City.

As a heavenly light descended, all the peach blossoms and jasmine flowers in Dajing City bloomed simultaneously. The entire flower capital was immersed in an intoxicating floral fragrance. Everyone stopped what they were doing, staring wide-eyed at the crimson light streaking across the sky before finally falling into a magnificent palace courtyard.

As a baby girl’s cries filled the air, everyone waiting outside the door breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The midwife emerged with extraordinary joy, holding a baby girl who, incredibly, had a piece of lustrous ancient jade in her mouth—born with jade, astonishing everyone!

On that very day, the Grand Priest of Dajing approached the King and Queen, declaring that this girl was destined by heaven, her life would surely be extraordinary, but her fate was cursed with a jade tribulation. When the King and Queen urgently asked for a way to resolve this tribulation, the priest only shook his head and departed gracefully, saying: “When jade is incomplete, fate is incomplete; when jade is complete, fate is complete. This tribulation has no solution!”

King Yuwen of the Fengjian Clan personally took the ancient jade to the finest jade craftsmen in the kingdom, borrowing divine power to forge it, then using silver threads from the imperial heir to create a jade brush to accompany the princess, hoping this jade could protect his daughter’s life. He named this girl Yu Wensang!

The sunlight was brilliantly radiant, peach blossoms bloomed magnificently, and the crimson flowers on the branches attracted several butterflies that danced and fluttered, weaving through the blossoms. Jasmine flowers also bloomed, scattered and pristine white, releasing waves of clear fragrance. A pool of azure water lay beside a pavilion, and on the ornamental rocks by the pool sat a charming figure.

She had fair, translucent skin, a delicate nose, rosy lips, and diamond-like jade eyes that were crystal clear and flawless, sparkling with mischievous intelligence. Her hair was bound in a simple flowing cloud style, with thick bangs covering most of her forehead, secured with a plain mutton-fat jade hairpin inserted at an angle. Her waterfall-like black hair gleamed darkly in the sunlight, swaying gently with her movements. She wore a simple, plain gauze dress with a light azure short jacket over it, her waist tied with a matching silk sash that ended in a butterfly knot, the hanging ribbons floating slowly in the breeze. A small square brocade pouch was carried at her side.

Yu Wensang sat leisurely on the large stone by the water, swaying her ankles while gently blowing on a bamboo leaf between her lips. The sound that emerged was like a flute, yet not a flute, like a reed pipe, not a pipe. And as she played this bamboo leaf, from outside the garden came the sound of a flute responding—distant and clear, like sunlight, like water.

This was the second time Yu Wensang encountered someone responding to her leaf music. But since the flute sound wasn’t unpleasant, Yu Wensang treated it as having a kindred spirit friend and didn’t pursue the matter. After finishing a melody, Yu Wensang casually took out the Linlang jade brush and held it up to the sunlight, examining it carefully. She often saw in dreams a person with a serene expression standing on golden auspicious clouds, pointing at Yu Wensang and telling her to find another person who possessed the other half of the jade. Queen Yuwen had also told Yu Wensang about the fate predicted by the Taoist on the day of her birth. But she was nearly a hundred years old now and had never seen anyone wearing the other half of the jade. Could such a person truly exist?

“The reeds grow thick and tall, white dew turns to frost. The one I long for stands across the water…” This was from mortal texts that Queen Yuwen had specially collected from the human world for Yu Wensang.

Yu Wensang, who had been sitting on the stone staring at her book, immediately jumped up upon hearing footsteps, laughing as she threw herself at the person and wrapped her arms around his neck, “Father King…”